Age-plot (For Joe)

[echolls_cursed]

When Logan woke to find all his limbs a little shorter, his hair a touch longer and blonder, and his body just a touch scrawnier, he had smiled. Turning his head, he'd looked at Neil, noting that he was smaller too. Much smaller. And for a moment he'd been tempted to wake the other boy just to show him.

After all, who didn't like getting to be small again?

But no, in the end he'd simply let the other boy sleep.

Climbing out of bed, he looked down at his race car pyjama bottoms, noting that they looked a lot better than they had the night before. Last night they'd been lame and childish, but today? Today they were awesome. Race cars always were. On top of that, for whatever reason, Logan knew he was five and a half. Nearly six! Maybe simply because children always know those things. However, as he pulled on one of his smaller shirts (now ridiculously over sized), he couldn't help the rush of memories that came flooding back.

Six had been a very bad year for Logan. Six had been when things went from bad too worse.

When he was just a little older than five and a half, Aaron had taken his first real swing at him, knocking him over hard enough that he'd lost a baby tooth. Logan shivered at the memory and cupped a hand over his mouth, trying not to remember the rest. He'd stopped talking after that, just... stopped. He didn't say a word for nearly six months. In fact, it wasn't until Aaron finally lost it, taking action by stubbing a cigar out on his arm, that Logan had started talking again.

Arms folded over his chest, he stared at Neil for a long moment, and then headed out the door, vowing not to say a word unless he had to. He'd be quiet and invisible, and eventually this would all be over. The memories would vanish again and he could forget it all once more.

He stood outside Joe's hut for what felt like an eternity, eventually peeking his head around the door for a look. Joe was alone and still fully grown, sleeping soundly by the looks of it.

Quiet at a mouse, Logan snuck inside, crawling onto the bed and curling up at Joe's side, cuddling the older man stealthily.

At least with Joe he felt safe. Protected. The weekend would be fine as long as he stuck close to Joe.

Comments

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Joe!" Logan whined loudly, looking a little worked up and wound up.

[jdick.livejournal.com]

"I thought you wanted to go under it?" Joe asked, stepping back out again, the waterfall at his back. "That's better than jumping off it, at least I can hold onto you while we go under."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"What if I slip?" Logan asked. "What if you drop me. I could die!"

[jdick.livejournal.com]

"I'm not gonna drop you," Joe assured him, tightening his arms around Logan. "You think I'd drop you? Never gonna happen."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"You swear?" Logan asked, voice dripping with youth and innocence.

[jdick.livejournal.com]

"Promise," Joe said seriously. "I might drop other people, but there's no way in hell I'd drop you. You know that."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Logan said softly. "I trust you, Joe."

[jdick.livejournal.com]

Joe smiled a little at that and kept his arms tight around Logan. "So we're gonna go under? You're gonna have to hold your breath."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"I know, I can do it!" Logan insisted enthusiastically.

[jdick.livejournal.com]

"Ready?" Joe asked. "Take a deep breath and I'll take you under," he instructed, then waited for Logan to do it.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Logan nodded and took a deep breath, his cheeks puffing out cartoonishly and eyes squeezed shut.

[jdick.livejournal.com]

Joe tried not to laugh at that, then drew in a deep breath himself and stepped back through the waterfall. It pounded down on them for a moment, but, as promised, he kept a tight grip on Logan until they were through on the other side.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Logan let out his breath and grinned happily. "Can we do it agin?" he asked, bouncing just a little.

[jdick.livejournal.com]

"You just wanna go right back under?" Joe asked, unable to hide his amusement. After all that, he just wanted to go under again.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Logan just nodded and smiled, as if that were totally normal.

[jdick.livejournal.com]

"You're such a fucking goof," Joe said with a laugh. "Okay, another deep breath and we'll go back under."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Grinning, Logan screwed his eyes shut again and held his breath, holding onto Joe as tight as he could.

[jdick.livejournal.com]

Drawing another breath of his own, Joe made sure Logan's eyes were closed, then headed back out under the water, feeling it pound down on his head and his shoulders.

"Happy yet?" he asked when they were on the other side, lifting one hand to wipe water out of his eyes.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Laughing happily, Logan nodded, throwing his arms around Joe's neck.

[jdick.livejournal.com]

Joe grinned a little, keeping his arms tight around Logan as he waded through the water. "You're not doing much swimming," he pointed out. Not that he minded carrying him.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Put me down then, I can do it," Logan insisted, wiggling again.

[jdick.livejournal.com]

"You sure?" Joe asked, setting him down in the water, but keeping his hands out to make sure Logan didn't do floundering under the water.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Logan flailed a little at first, struggling with his much smaller body, but soon he was floating and bobbing around in the water, happily paddling around in circles.

[jdick.livejournal.com]

Joe watched Logan carefully, not moving too far away from him just in case he ended up going under and needing helped, but he seemed okay. "See? This is when the island turns out to be pretty fucking great."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," Logan agreed, swimming in a little circle around Joe. "I like being small."